duck confit

We like duck around here.  I read food blogs.  I happened across Manger and read about here confitting duck.  It is both a dish and a process.  It has everything I like when it comes to cooking a dinner.  Lots of time needed, not much action.  Reminds me of sourdough.  But then, I have been told I can compare everything to making bread.

The biggest issue was to make sure that I had duck fat and duck.  This takes a lot of duck fat.  I used 2 pounds and could have used another pound.  My butcher told me these were lovely ducks when they were alive.  Yes, that is the butcher shop around the corner.  Around the corner is two blocks and they have lovely milk as well.  It is actually how I saw the duck.  I went in there for  milk.

I confit the duck and then I roasted it.  My Beloved's response was, "When are we having this again?"

confit duck

duck legs - I used four

coarse salt

duck fat - I used 2 pounds but I probably should have had 3

potatoes, garlic cloves, and other root vegetables

The night before you plan to start the cooking of the duck, wash the duck.  Cover it with coarse salt and put in the refrigerator.  

You  need two to three hours of baking time.  Pull the duck out when you have that much time the next day.  Wash the salt off and pat dry.  Preheat the oven to 200 degrees Fahrenheit.  Melt the duck fat.  Lay the duck legs in a single layer in a shallow pan.  Cover completely with the melted duck fat.  Put in the oven and bake for 2 hours.

When the time is done, remove the pan.  Remove the duck legs.  Pour the duck fat through a sieve.  The legs you are planning on not eating right away, put in a container and pour the duck fat over them.  Let them cool.  You wish at least a half inch of coverage.  This actually preserves the meat.

For the duck you wish to eat right away, turn the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Put a layer of potatoes, root vegetables, and garlic cloves on the bottom of a shallow pan.  Put the duck legs on top.  Roast for 25 to 30 minutes.  The skin will be crispy.

This fed my Beloved and myself.  I had purple potatoes in the refrigerator.  

This was easy.  I have two more duck legs to roast.  So yummy.